The best possible life for a domestic rabbit is one where they are loved, socialised a lot and have lots of space to hop and binky to their heart's content. One way to achieve this is to keep them inside your house and if you’re thinking of keeping free-roam buns, or know someone who is, then here is a list of things you should consider before making the switch!
1. Keep Wires Out Of The Way
One of the most important things to remember is that bunnies love to nibble, so keeping electrical wires out of the way, or covered in some form of durable casing, is going to make sure your bun is safe. For devices that need to stay plugged in 24/7, like your wifi router, these can be put up on a shelf, or alternatively in a box under furniture.
Wire covers are easy to find online and they’re also super cheap, but if you want a DIY alternative you can buy some hose pipe and either feed the wire through, or cut a split down the side.
2. Storage Cubes
In the USA these are referred to as NIC grids and are super cheap and lightweight which is what makes them so great! You can use them to cover up power outlets and block off areas of your house / flat that you don’t want your bun to have access to. They can also be used to protect furniture and even stop your bun going under your bed (the bane of my life!). They can be clipped together using zip ties or special clips that come with the cubes, they can also be placed in many different ways – however you want!
If you’re worried about these grids making your place look less than appealing or messy, they come in different colours & can be hidden behind furniture too!
3. Covering Your Sofa & Bed
Buns are great jumpers and Apollo is always jumping on and off my bed! For when your bun is unsupervised you’ll want to be sure there’s no chance your bun can do damage. With your sofa and bed you’ll want to protect your sheets from chewing and scratching and this is easily sorted by covering with a large blanket tucked securely into the sides. You could also cover it with a plastic sheet to protect from urine spills if your rabbit is still young and not neutered. Storage cubes are also an option as these are not at all comfy to walk on and prevents digging. I realised this all too late and let’s just say I’m glad my bedding was cheap…
4. Bitter Apple Spray or Lemon Juice
If storage cubes are not your cup of tea for keeping your bun out of nibbling trouble, you can try deterring your bun from chewing by spraying with lemon juice. Apollo isn’t totally a free roam bun and he will chew his hutch bars early in the morning asking to be fed! He seems to be getting up earlier and earlier everyday and it’s been driving me nuts (he stays right next to my bed!) so I tried spraying his bars with lemon juice. This seemed to work for a day or two, but he quickly realised that he liked the taste and now using the spray only works to distract him until it’s all gone! I’ve yet to try bitter apple spray, but for some peace and quiet at 5am it’s definitely worth a go. Of course not all buns will like the taste of lemon juice, and it could work for you on skirting boards, furniture etc. I wouldn’t risk it with wires though, as this is too dangerous for more than just your wallet!
5. Toys
To keep your bun from boredom you should keep plenty of toys and obstacles around for them to play with. Bunnies are super curious (most at least) and will test the limits of their environment, so with lots to do there’s less chance of getting into trouble! Toys don’t have to be fancy; Apollo barely touches anything I’ve bought him and goes straight for toilet roll tubes or Amazon parcel boxes instead. I’ve also noticed that neither Apollo nor Athena will touch any toy that is colourful or has been painted (toxic free of course) and their favourite wood to chew is willow.
6. Pet Cam
Some people might think this is a bit extra, but people have pet cams for cats and dogs so why not your bun? This way you can always keep an eye out for them and see them if you get lonely while at work! If they’re making a racket in the night you can just check the camera to see if it warrants you getting up to investigate. I often find their mischief is harmless and the clattering is Athena just throwing her toys around!
I have a cheap camera by CleverDog. It only cost me around £20 and allows for wide angle viewing and infrared for when it’s night time. The adjustable stand means you can angle the camera almost any way you want. It also allows the capability to talk to your pet and also hear what’s going on in their area, however I’ve found the quality pretty poor and it frequently cuts out and is crackly.
7. Litter box
A litter box is essential if you don’t want a dirty floor! Buns are so easy to house train and are naturally really clean animals, so this shouldn’t deter you from going free roam with your bun. Make sure they have access to unlimited hay with them in their litter box as rabbits like to eat while they go!
I’ve found that the bigger the box, the better as this reduces the number of poops that stray from the box (they just fall out of Apollo’s bum). I use a large garden tray (pictured) which is 100x55x15cm. This is almost the same size as Apollo’s first indoor hutch which just goes to show that pet shop housing is just not adequate. It’s important to also make sure that it has fairly tall sides to make sure no spraying occurs where it’s not meant to be!
Avoid using sawdust in litter trays as this can be dusty and cause respiratory issues. I opt for recycled paper litter which my bunnies don’t eat – even if they did, the paper is non toxic and non clumping. Whatever you do, do NOT use clumping clay cat litter. Pine wood litter is also toxic to your rabbit.
8. Flooring
As with most animals, bunnies slip and slide on laminate and tiled flooring. In order to give them some space to go zoomies and binky around the room, getting the exercise they need, your bun will need some kind of rug or mat to run around on. It’s recommended that this be fairly large as they like to stretch out!
9. Bunny Bed
A bed for your bunny is important, just like your bed is to you. Whether it’s a specialist bought bunny bed or a box with a blanket, your bun will appreciate the cosy space to snuggle up in.
10. A Bathroom Stand For Miscellaneous Items
Boxes are all well and good, but when you’re having to get your bunny items out constantly it can become a bit of a hassle. A bathroom stand is perfect for all your essential bunny items, such as nail clippers, brushes, medicines, food and toys! Toys can be kept at the bottom of the stand so that your bun can grab them whenever they want! A tiered stand also takes up less space and you can move everything around easily, without having to rummage through a crammed full box!
I hope this was helpful to bun owners out there – of course, depending on where you live and what your space is like, it isn’t always possible to have a bun free-roam, but if you are able I highly recommend it!